Bridgeton pioneer., 1887-07-07
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Joseph Meyers Killed on the
W. j. r. R. Track.
The Engine Crushes His Skull.

The Engine Crushes His Skull.
Engine N. 90, of the West Jersey
Railroad, drawing the down passenger
train last week Thursday morning,
crashed against the skull of Joseph
Meyers, a track walker, and killed him
instantly.
The full particulars are as follows:-
Meyers, with the gang boss, William
Heimsoath, were at work one on each
side of the track, just above the glass
works of More, Jonas & More. They
were pulling weeds from the track,
preparatory to raising it. Meyers was
upon the west of the track, while be-
hind him stood train of freight cars.
Mr.. Heimsoath was at work upon the
east side Just at the time the down
train was rushing on its way to the
depot, Meyers was in a stopping posi-
ton, with his head not quite over the
rail- His attention was most probably,
as was the attention of the gang boss,
attracted by the Port Norris train on
it's way to the junction over the tracks
which run parallel with those of the
West Jersey, and neither one heard
the rapidly approaching West Jersey
train until it was within yard of Mr..
Heimsoath, who was working few
yards above Meyers. He jumped back
with an exclamation of fright, but
Meyers was not SO fortunate. AS
he stopped, the bottom piece of the
engine struck him on the left side of
the skull, just above the eye, with
such force as to turn him completely
around, and he fell upon his left side
with his feet toward the track. The
moment the train was past the spot,
Mr.. Heimsoath jumped across the
track to Mr.. Meyers relief. He raised
his arm and felt for his heart, but it
was all over He was past all need of
help, and his soul was in eternity.
The train was backed to the spot,
but seeing that the man was dead the
train went on to the depot. .,-a.,p.
The PIONEER reporter was the first
representative of the press on the
spot, and he found the body lying as
it had fallen, the blood streaming from
the terrible gap in the skull. The legs
were bent under him and his body lay
over his left arm. Members of the
gang covered him over with piece of
cloth and laid board over him.
Meanwhile the crowds began to
gather and with them a son of the
dead man, Joseph. After the first
shock was over the young man started
to break the sad news to his mother
who, with three children, Rosa, aged
13 years; Henry, II years, and little
baby girl, Carrie, aged years, were at
the West Jersey canning factory on
Irving Avenue. A description of the
scene when the son threw his arms
about his mother and told the story
can not be pictured in type, and it can
only be said that strong men were
moved to tears as they saw the frail
widow leaning heavily upon her boy,
while her shrieks were heard for quite
a distance Just little behind was
the daughter carrying the little baby,
all sobbing as if their hearts would
break over the terrible loss.
1t was full an hour before the coro
ner arrived on the scene. He examined
the head and neck and said that in his
opinion the crushing of the skull
caused death, and the neck was not
broken. He took the names of the
eye witnesses, and ordered the body
taken home, saying that the inquest
would take place at half-past ten to-
morrow morning in the office of Es-
quire Alphonso Woodruff.
Tenderly the body was lifted by his
fellow workmen upon a board and
taken to his home.
The engineer, VIM. Scott, said to
a PIONEER reporter, that he noticed
the man and gave the usual whistle
at the crossing, Seeing that he did
not move he gave two sharp shrieks
of the whistle, but the man did not
seem to hear them and before he
could reverse his engine, the man had
been struck. The fireman, VIM.
Hughes, corroborated this as did
some of the passengers of the train.
Joseph Meyers was native of Alsace-
Lorraine, formerly a province of France
but now belonging to Germany. He
is about forty-three years of age, and
leaves wife and four children. He
came to this country in the Fall of
1869, and has been in the employ of
the company for about five years, with
the exception of short time previous
to May last. He was a sober, indus
trious man, though poor, and for some
time has lived in his unprentious house
on Monroe street, near the glassworks.
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